Zoybean Pod
Zoybean Pod is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 that was released in the 7.3.1 update. It grows bean pods from its head, which then open up to release a zombie/plant hybrid known as "Zomboids" that function similarly to Hypno-shroom's and Caulipower's hypnotized zombies, walking to the right of the lawn and attacking zombies. Zoybean Pod was available in the "Zoybean Pod's Birthdayz Season". To unlock it, the player must accumulate 200 crowns. Every 50 crowns after that will reward the player with 100 more Zoybean Pod seed packets. Zoybean Pod requires 100 seed packets to be unlocked for free. Upgrading Zoybean Pod will also upgrade the Zomboids' level. This works similarly to the Chinese version's zombies upgrades, multiplying the Zomboids' health and damage. Origins Zoybean Pod is based on the soybean (Glycine max), a type of bean, with a "Z" in its name to reference the zombie fighters it makes. Its ability is based on the movie ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'', where an invading alien species called Pod People (which the Zomboids are based on) creates human replicates from plant-like pods. The fact that the imitation Zomboids explode into tofu when defeated is a reference to how soybeans are used to make imitation meat in the form of tofu. Almanac entry Upgrades Plant Food effect When fed Plant Food, Zoybean Pod will instantly grow a Gargantuar Zomboid, which will continue to the right, attacking any zombies it encounters. Enchant-mint effect When boosted by Enchant-mint, Zoybean Pod will produce Melonhead Zomboids instead of regular ones, the zomboid level will be increased to level 3 (with the Plant Food Gargantuar Zomboid being increased to level 4), and the amount of time it takes to produce a zomboid will be shortened to eight seconds. Level upgrades Strategies Zoybean Pod is an incredibly unique plant, and thus it can be hard to use effectively. Although Zoybean functions somewhat similarly to Caulipower, Zoybean Pod is different in that the zomboids it produces only affect the lane that Zoybean Pod is planted, and unless leveled, the zomboids that Zoybean Pod produces are generally much weaker as well, meaning it can be hard to find a use for this plant. This plant excels at holding off zombies early in a level - both stalling them as well damaging them - thanks to the consistent creation of zomboids from Zoybean Pod. Zoybean Pod becomes even more effective when used with stalling plants such as Sap-fling, Stallia, or Stunion, since they not only give Zoybean Pod more time to produce zomboids, but they also give Zoybean Pod's zomboids more time to damage opposing zombies. Zoybean Pod is best placed at the back of the lawn in order to both protect it and give it more time to create zomboids. Zoybean Pod also has an odd synergy with Blastberry Vine, since Blastberry Vine not only provides extra protection for Zoybean Pod, but he also helps to weaken zombies, allowing the zomboids to more easily clean up zombies and advance into the incoming horde. Additionally, due to Blastberry Vine's Plant Food sharing effect, it can also be used on Zoybean Pod to get more value out of the Plant Food. When boosted by Enchant-mint, Zoybean Pod becomes a menace, producing two high-leveled Melonhead Zomboids over Enchant-mint's duration (and that's if both Zoybean Pod and Enchant-mint aren't leveled), with said zomboids having the ability to mow through lanes quite easily. Additionally, Zoybean Pod is also highly effective in Tile Turnip based strategies, since Zoybean Pod's Plant Food effect can easily clean out entire lanes, and having the Plant Food effect trigger over multiple lanes can be rather destructive. As the zomboids it creates cannot be bound, transformed, or destroyed in anyway other than by being eaten, burned or crushed, Zoybean Pod can make for a unique counter against Octo Zombies and Wizard Zombies, since they are unable to target the zomboids, meaning the zomboids will continue to march down the lane (destroying any Octopuses in the case of the Octo Zombie) until it reaches a zombie. In lanes where the only zombies remaining are Octo Zombies or Wizard Zombies, Zoybean Pod can be especially effective at stopping them. Zoybean Pod also interacts with graves in Ancient Egypt and Dark Ages, as well as Iceblocks in Frostbite Caves and Arcade Machines in Neon Mixtape Tour, so depending on whether or not you're using Zoybean Pod to deal with these obstacles, Zoybean Pod should be planted accordingly. It is also worth noting that zomboids created by Zoybean Pod will fall into the water on plankless lanes in Pirate Seas, so avoid planting Zoybean Pod in those lanes. Zoybean Pod's usage is notably observed in Frostbite Caves, as zomboids interact with slider tiles just like ordinary zombies do. One one hand, this often allows zomboids to group up against major threats, even Sloth Gargantuars; on the other hand, this tends to create areas on the lawn that Zoybean Pod will not be able to cover, at least easily. In addition, zomboids are immune to the freezing wind in this world, so you'll often have zomboids assisting your fire plants in unfreezing your defenses, possibly including the pod that spawned it. It is recommended to place Zoybean Pod near the back because of this. Zomboids are also affected by evil potions and it give them extra health and speed just like other zombies. So this is also a great way to cleanup the evil potions in Dark Ages Night 9 and 17. There's an exploit one can use with Zoybean Pod. If Zoybean Pod is boosted, either through an Arena or through the Zen Garden, then every time a Zoybean Pod is planted in an Arena or Last Stand level, Zoybean Pod will instantly produce a Gargantuar Zomboid. You can repeatedly dig up and replant Zoybean Pod indefinitely while you're setting up plants to spawn an infinite amount of Gargantuar Zomboids before the level even starts, allowing you to effectively cheese the level. Unlike other hypnotized zombies, Zoybean Pod's zomboids do not count against the "Don't let the zombies trample the flowers" objective, making Zoybean a usable choice in these levels. Due to Zoybean Pod's generally long zombie production, as well as severe lack of area-of-effect damage, pairing Zoybean Pod with area-of-effect plants such as Melon-pult or Snapdragon are near mandatory. Winter Melon makes for an exceptional partner due to providing both a slow as well as area-of-effect damage, both of these qualities being things that Zoybean Pod greatly appreciates having. Gallery Trivia *The Gargantutar Zomboid resembles the Green Giant mascot: the Jolly Green Giant. *When an Octo Zombie throws the octopi and hits the Zoybean Pod as it summons a Zomboid, it will freeze and not do anything. This is a glitch. *When a Zomboid dies, a word spells out “TO-FWUMP.” **This is a portmanteau of the words "tofu", a food made from soybeans, and "FWUMP", a sound effect relating to the sound the to-fwump makes. *The Zomboids can also be tossed by Power Toss, but it won't send them off the screen. **This was fixed in later updates. *If the Zomboid crosses the flowers, the player won’t lose the level because they are counted as plants. *Despite being counted as plants, the Zomboids still be chilled when frozen projectiles (frozen melons and frozen pea) that were deflected by Jester Zombies (because the plants can't be chilled by that activity). **If Jester Zombie deflects butter on Zomboids, they will be stalled as well. *It is the first non-Power Mint plant which costs no coins to level up. *Zoybean Pod is the first new plant since Holly Barrier to be neither a Peashooter nor a Power Mint. *The Zomboids coming out of the pod nearly resembles the Adventurer Zombie coming out of tent summoned by Imp Porter. *Depending on the world, when a Zoybean Pod spawns a Zomboid, the future tiles or planks may break. *Zomboids can also be damaged by the reflected projectiles from Jester Zombie and the laser shot from Turquoise Skull Zombie. *The Zomboids from PvZ2 can represent weeds from GW2 in a way. The Lettucehead Zomboid represents the weed, the Carrothead Zomboid represents the Pumpkin-head weed, and the Melonhead Zomboid represents the Terracotta-head weed. *There is a glitch when the player plants a boosted Zoybean Pod in any Last Stand level. It will summon a Gargantuar Zomboid instantly. If the player clicks on the zombie head icon to view the zombie side, they will see that the Gargantuar Zomboid is trying to smash the zombies. *If Zoybean Pod is fed Plant Food while Boombox Zombie is activating his special ability, it will summon 2 Zomboid Gargantuars instead of one. See also *Hypno-shroom *Caulipower *Magic-shroom Category:Birthdayz Category:Premium plants Category:Plants obtained with seed packets Category:Plants with a cooldown Category:Seasonal plants